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Promising talent Nestory Irankunda found the back of the net for the consecutive fixture in a row, as shot-stopper Paul Izzo produced a outstanding display to lead the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada.

Fixture Summary

Following a dull opening period dominated by the Canadian team, the Socceroos came to life with the arrival of late replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the second half.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, starting ahead of skipper Maty Ryan, produced multiple stops, featuring a brilliant intervention to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight win.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA PUTS US IN FRONT IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Highlights

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan charged into the box, but defender Alessandro Circati executed a well-timed tackle to avert the threat.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat two defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was blocked.
• During the first half, the Australians found it difficult to maintain possession, with Buchanan causing issues on the wing.
• Despite dominance from Canada, the organized Australian defense stood strong, limiting opportunities before the halftime.

Second Half Turnaround

Two minutes into the second period, Irankunda embarked on a wonderful run, evading Derek Cornelius and driving the ball toward the goal, where Mohamed Toure missed his shot.

Substitutions in the second half brought instant impact, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor pass and finding Toure, who shot wide.

Soon after, Miller delivered a lovely cross to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the skipper shot over the bar.

During the 70th minute, after a pinball situation in the defensive area, the Socceroos cleared the situation.

Winning Moment

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe sent Toure on the wing, and the striker cut the ball back into a promising zone.

As a opposition player hesitated, Irankunda sneaked in from the blind side to tap in his third strike.

Late Action

Although failing to add a another, the team were saved by Izzo's last-minute heroics.

Emotions boiled over in injury-time, resulting in Irankunda getting a yellow card and being substituted amid a fracas.

During a spiteful final few minutes, the Socceroos backline and Izzo stood their ground to seal the result.

Next Steps

With now secured a spot for the next global tournament, the Australian squad are intensifying their readiness with warm-up matches against Canada and the United States, with a game set in Colorado next.